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ProngerBlues44 wrote:I'm curious to know everyone's pick for best defenseman...

#46 for sure.

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And when I think unsung hero, I think mike Weaver. To be "unsung," I personally think that means someone that's hardly talked about (so that rules out Backes, Perron, Oshie, Boyes, etc. etc.). Mike Weaver was a depth defenseman at the beginning of the season, didn't complain, and only got better as the season wore on.

What sucks for Weaver is his size. No matter how well he plays, he's severely limited when play is stuck in the Blues end simply because he doesn't have the reach of bigger defenseman. The guy plays his heart out and is truly an unsung hero, but the harsh reality is larger defensemen with bigger reach are more important.

There was a point earlier this season when he seemed to be the best defenseman on the ice and stayed that way - as long has his reach wasn't a factor. His tenacity and skill in spite of that disadvantage have kept him in the NHL. He's worth having around as the 5th-7th d-man, but he's not the guy you want killing penalties, on the power play, or logging slogs of ice time. His work ethic woudl be good for the younger players to see. Hard to evaluate where Weaver will be next season. Then again, he wasn't supposed to make the team this season, either.

Hopefully he'll still be with our system next year. When ever I meet him at an autograph session in January he was excellent guy to talk to, not one of those guys whom seemed to fake his way through it.

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Best moment definetly the playoff clincher, as much as some games were exciting they all woulda meant nothing if they didnt make the playoffs. And it was pretty nerve racking knowing if we lost against Columbus the second last game of the year and Nashville had won we wouldve been done.

I'm torn betweena) the OT comeback win over Torontob) Beating the Bruins in Jan at Boston.c) the playoff clincher. (interestingly - this one seems way down on the list, because of how well the team was playing when the clinched).

Yes, the comeback vs Toronto was very early in the season, but it stood out to me as a "work ethic" type game which essentially became the team's identity as the season wore on.

The Boston win - winning after 2 periods, giving up 3 straight goals in the 3rd making it 4-2, coming back and tying the game in 3rd with goals with 1:20 left and 1 second left, then winning in a shootout to beat the hottest team in the league at the time.... It emphasized this team's never quit "work ethic" which continued throughout the run once Mason took over.

The playoff clincher at the end was a "meh" game. It seemed inevitable the Blues would actually make the playoffs once it got down to the end. The shocker was everyone else choking and the Blues finishing 6th.

So it's either the Toronto game as a defining moment or the Boston game as the emphasizing moment - and I can't decide which meant more.

I agree with most of the picks here except the biggest surprise has to be Crombeen.. The guy came from NOWHERE to score a hat trick and be a regular physical and offensive presence. Sure I'd rather Perron have his ice time but he surprised the hell out of everyone.

"Hey MEG, I'm a Playoff Challenge Champion and you aren't. If you're so GD smart, why the hell haven't you won one?" -WestCoastSpedFan

Mellanby_equals_grit wrote:I agree with most of the picks here except the biggest surprise has to be Crombeen.. The guy came from NOWHERE to score a hat trick and be a regular physical and offensive presence. Sure I'd rather Perron have his ice time but he surprised the hell out of everyone.

the kicker with Crombeen - what did he do after that hat trick? 12 goals on the season - 3 of which came in one game. I'd say he did what was expected of a grinder with one surprising game.

I'd have to go with Colaiacovo as the surprise player. Started more games than he ever had in his career. Never missed a game to injury (which is why the Leafs traded him), rejuvenized the offense from the defensive zone damn near the day after he arrives (showed d-men how how to play looking up ice and not just at the puck when they were playing it), and wound up with career stats for a single season - after being named a no-good, injury plagued, d-man by the Leafs. That was a HUGE surprise. Even more than Crombeen - who filled out the expected role, and Backes whom the Blues expected to improve or wouldn't have matched the Canucks offer.

Also, just wondering, do Blues fans still have a perma-hard on for Oshie? I wouldn't be surprised to see the results ending up:MVP: OshieForward: OshieDefenseman: whateverUnsung Hero: OshieBiggest Surprise: OshieMost Popular: Oshie